Schedules? Meh.

I'm not good with schedules. I think every boss, teacher, parent, friend, boyfriend would agree wholeheartedly and probably nod their head with a little smirk on their face... a fleeting memory of a time that I stood them up or forgot a conference call passing through their overly scheduled brain (or the entirety of high school that no teacher ever received an assignment on time... or complete). I've never been good at working on other peoples time.

Now, maybe you can relate or maybe you're completely appalled that I could be so aloof. That's fine! That's part of the fun here... I'm learning from you along this journey as well. So, let me back track because this whole schedule thing is new to me and my goal is to stay on task today. Key word *today*. Baby steps here, people.

So here is goes... my 'schedule' for what you can expect to see here on the blog.

Inspire Me Monday- Inspirational Quotes and Designs made by yours truly... with a little back story on the side. Because everyone needs a pick me up on Monday's.

Tooling Tuesdays- Some projects I'm working on, that I want to work on, that I'm inspired by... and maybe some DIY things along the way. If you see something you'd like me to make... let me know! I'm down for suggestions ALWAYS.

Whatever I Want Wednesdays- Because... well... I can :)

Try It Out Thursdays- This is where I'll present you with a challenge or with a goal to think about for the week. Because let's me honest... the weekend really starts on Thursday and this will get the juices flowing for some exploring on your days off!

Free Fridays- I'll recap the week and share with you all something that made me feel free. I invite you to share with comments and goals of your own or what you are doing this weekend or upcoming week to free yourself and let yourself shine through. Finding you is what this is all about.

Now... don't be surprised if I switch up a day or two on ya here and there, but I will do my damnedest to stick to it. Those that know me, don't expect me to start showing up to brunch on time or return my texts in a timely manner... I am trying but again, no promises.

Thanks everyone and looking forward to this journey with you!

XXOO,

K

The Discovery of Adulthood… Or something like it.

I find myself in a space that lingers somewhere between adulthood and 'I haven't quite got it figured out yet'. And I'm urging you to live in this space with me… dwell in it and cherish this in-between because it is beautiful and it is ours.

First, you should know a thing or two about me before you decide that living in this shared space with me is such a good idea… I get it. We're strangers. And I'm challenging you to go outside of your comfort zone here, so I'll step outside of mine and hope that you will see the beauty in this challenge I'm about to lay out before you.

At age 22 I was ready to be in the 'real world'. I picked up my bags, moved to New York City and landed my dream job in the first month. All I could think was "Man… I've got this adulthood thing down."

Wrong.

I couldn't pay my rent, I worked 50-60 hour weeks without much to show for it and my friends that used to live 2 doors down in college, suddenly lived 2-5 hour plane rides away. I lost that dream job 5 short months later and decided… this whole adulthood thing isn't really for me yet. I'm not ready.

And do you know what? That was okay. I moved back home to Chicago to pick up the pieces of my lost adulthood and decided that the real world sucked, but I guess I was going to be alright. Adulthood could wait.

A few weeks went by and with my parents home cooked meals in my belly and their endless words of encouragement, I decided that I was ready to give adulthood another try. Move to the city? Sounds great! Take a job that has NOTHING to do with my skills, but makes good money? Sure, why not! I'll only stay until I find something that I love and in the mean time I can save… great adult, mature, responsible plan. Let's do it!

Side note: (because I want you as a reader to know me and know what I'm about… trust people… this is about trust!) along my 'journey to adulthood' I met someone. Adult dating is much different than high school or college dating- they don't give you that speech at college graduation- but I was ready for something different. Enter, Adrian… welcome to my world of "I have no clue what I'm doing… want to not have a clue together?". And surprisingly he did… want to not a clue with me that is.

We knew pretty quickly that we wanted to get married and a year and a half later we were. Now I know some of you are thinking, "WHOA, WHOA, WHOA. But married chicks totally have it figured out. You bake and have wine and cheese nights and dinner parties..." News flash: we don't. I mean don't get me wrong, I love a good cookie and wine as much as the next girl, but I do not have all the answers and neither does any other married chick. We just have decided to bumble through life with one person. Some people have a best friend, some people have a dog, or their parents, brother, sister, whomever… mine just happens to be a really tall and goofy man.

So now you are all caught up… there's where my journey has taken me and here's where my invitation to you begins. I left my dream job in my dream city because it didn't work out. I moved to a new city and found a new dream and decided I was ready once again to become an adult (whatever that means). But part of me still felt and feels to this day very empty. I didn't know what being me really meant.

This has been my biggest struggle and I feel it is something that I always thought would just happen. That what I do everyday was what being me meant. But I was not actively doing anything to cultivate that. I did what was asked of me and what was required to keep my job, pay my rent, enjoy my friends, deepen my relationships, but I was not investing time into me.

So, I invite you to start a journey with me today not discover what becoming an adult means… but to discover what being you means. I am still very much figuring it out and I think we can all use a little companionship along the way, so I urge you to join me.

I urge you start a life that is not only for your friends, your boss, your husband, your family, but a life that is also for yourself. I yearn to live a life that is full of love for myself and for my passions so that I can better share my happiness and joy with those around me. So that I can better love myself the way that those around me seem to do so easily.

Here are the goals that I am focusing on and that I'd love for you to join me in doing… I urge you to comment with your thoughts, your commitments, your views and start this journey to self acceptance and self fulfillment.

1). Discover what you love.

Traveling? Writing? Music? Your health? Your spirituality? Your job?

I love to inspire through words. I love designing. I love quotes and projects and ideas and stories that you read and see and do and feel completely and utterly fulfilled. I love being able to walk in and picture a space or a blank screen and fill it with beauty that will inspire others to reach for their potential. I want to discover more that I love…

What do you want to try that you haven't?

Find what you love and what you're good at and make steps to cultivate those things. Take time to love yourself by actively doing something that you love everyday.

2). Know that you are good enough. Know that you are worth it.

Invest in yourself and your dreams. I encourage you and I urge you to find this peace within yourself. It is not an easy road, but it will make all the difference in the world.

Find your voice and find what makes you burn with passion. That is a life that I want to live and a life I want to encourage others to live as well. Know that you're worth it now.

3). Take time to feel.

The world.
The experiences.
The words.
The adventures.
The loss.
The learning.
The love.
The discovering.
The joy.
The heartache.

We are young and we are able. We should feel everything that is to be felt in this extremely confusing, frustrating and exciting part of our lives. Feel deeply, feel passionately, throw yourself into an ocean, a snow mound, a lake, a field of grass, a loved ones arms and just feel with everything that you have. It's amazing what feeling wholly can do for your soul.

I'm excited to begin this journey of discovery and I hope that I can inspire you to join me on your own path to finding you. Our paths won't be the same and maybe they won't even cross at times, but your journey will be your own and mine will be my own… and there's something beautiful in that. This Universal Paradox that we call life has brought our paths together at this moment. And that is a moment that I cherish.

Thank you for reading and for your companionship along this road. Now, let's do some discovering, shall we?

XXOO,

K